While laughter has been shown to play a significant role in any social interaction; its conversational usage by a person with dementia has rarely been investigated. This paper will investigate the functional aspects of laughter during conversation in an individual with dementia. Conversation analysis is used in order to investigate laughter as a…

Finds that confederates' intentions to show increased or decreased liking toward their partners positively correlated with the partners' liking for the confederate, but that less than one-quarter of the confederates could demonstrate an accurate conscious awareness of the behaviors they used and how they used them. (SR)

Six waitresses in a restaurant of a large midwestern city agreed to participate in a study of the nonverbal effects of ornamentation. The hypothesis was that diners would leave larger tips for a waitress who wore a flower in her hair than for the same waitress without a flower. During the four nights that data were collected, the waitresses…

Examines the development and use of personal idioms within intimate relationships. Characterizes the idioms by function and analyzes them by private or external orientation, as well as verbal and nonverbal mode of presentation. (JMF)

Research has documented two behavior patterns known as Type A and Type B. Type A behavior is characterized by competitive striving, a sense of urgency, and hostility, while Type B behavior is less aggressive and more relaxed. It has been theorized that individuals exhibiting Type A behavior have a strong need to maintain control over their…

Argues that nonverbal cues act much like other behaviors in triggering attribution-making in couples' interactions. Finds that negative behaviors were more likely than positive nonverbal cues to be noticed; satisfaction was related to attributions for positive behaviors; mutual attributions for the same behaviors differed significantly; and…

Replicates and extends previous diary research on everyday interaction. Attempts to determine how conversational evaluation, nonverbal behavior evaluation, and gender relate to the speech event construct. Confirms (partially) previous findings by Baxter and Goldsmith (1995). Finds few gender effects. Finds nonverbal behavior evaluation to be…

Proposing that most studies of nonverbal intimacy regulation have inadequately tested the compensation model (changes in any component of intimacy necessitate compensating changes in other components to maintain an equilibrium), this paper examines the nature of methodological problems in such studies and offers three suggestions for improved…

Considers how various theories of nonverbal adaptation feature behavioral valence and degree of behavioral change as critical elements affecting whether changes in nonverbal intimacy are met with reciprocity or compensation among 100 undergraduate student romantic dyads. Makes comparisons across five conditions: very low intimacy, low intimacy,…

Describes two studies that investigated patterns of nonverbal cues. States that in the first study, a game was played and it was found that satisfied couples were more likely to reciprocate their partners' positive affect. Explains that in the second study, couples discussed upcoming plans. Argues that reciprocity should be predicted in intimate…

A study examined verbal and nonverbal behaviors that can detect an individual's deceptive communication, including variables such as familiarity with the individual, amount of interaction, skill at detecting deception with individuals and in general, and an individual's verbal and nonverbal immediacy behaviors. Subjects, 242 undergraduates…

No theories of communication can minimize the crisis of dying. But those who study commmunication can suggest ways of offering comfort and dignity to the dying person. Many of these ways go beyond words, for death cannot be addressed with verbal cliches. The theoretical work from which a communication scholar draws can help hospice volunteers and…

Two experiments examined nonverbal behavior patterns and relational communication perceptions associated with communication reticence. In the first experiment, pairs of friends and pairs of strangers engaged in nine-minute discussions. Subjects were rated by their interaction partners and by trained observers. Results showed that as their level of…

Reports on a three-part investigation examining stigmatization toward gays and persons with AIDS by undergraduate students as more a symbolic than instrumental process, through the expression of attraction (task, social, and physical) and desire for future interaction, and through nonverbal expressions of involvement. (SR)

Arguing that a systems theory can be applied to the description and analysis of families and other close relationships, this paper first describes a method for coding verbal interaction that involves three steps: categorizing messages according to grammatical form and response mode, assigning control directions to those categories, and combining…